Today we are reviewing a shaving soap that is really popular and highly regarded by its users: Henry Cavendish Himalaya Shaving Soap.
When I first used Henry Cavendish’s shave soap, I thought it was a really good soap, but I wasn’t blown away. Maybe my expectations were too high because the online reviews by other wet shavers really pumped it up.
I think also maybe I was a little skeptical because it's hard to find much out about the company and I really like shaving companies that are overly transparent about their history and how their products are made. And I really couldn’t find out much about Henry Cavendish or the owners other than that they are based in Florida.
Anyway, this really is a great soap and I don’t want to undersell the quality. It’s a really slick lubricant and it’s made with good ingredients, I just have other soaps that I prefer to use. But is Henry Cavendish Himalaya Shave Soap the right one for you? Let’s find out.
Pros
- Good ingredients for men with sensitive skin
- 100% vegetable-based soap
- Very slick lubricant
- Very mild, faint scent
Cons
- Need a separate bowl or mug to lather
- Lather dissipates quicker than most I’ve used
Product Overview
- Scent: Himalaya Perfume Oil
- Ingredients: Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sodium Castorate (Castor) Oil, Sodium Hydroxide (Saponifying Agent), Purified Water, Carthamus Tinctorius (Hybrid Safflower) Seed Oil, Sorbitol (Moisturizer), Shea Butter, Soy, Himalaya Fragrance
- Weight: 3.8 ounces
- Container: no container, need a bowl or mug to load and lather
- Company based in Florida, not sure where the soap is manufactured
Key Features
Good Slickness, Glycerine-based
Henry Cavendish shave soap does a really good job at being a slick lubricant. It is a glycerine-based soap so it does a fantastic job of providing a good layer of protection and slickness for your razor.
Easy Soap To Bowl Lather
Unfortunately, Henry Cavendish soap doesn’t come in packaging that you can lather it in like Lather & Wood or Proraso or RazoRock. You will need a separate bowl or mug to load and lather it. Not a big deal, but it is one extra piece of shaving equipment you’ll need. You can use any mug or bowl if you don’t want to buy an actual shaving mug or bowl though.
As far as the actual loading and lathering process, it’s pretty easy. It’s not a rock hard soap but I still definitely recommend soaking it in water before loading and lathering.
Lather Dissipates Some
I haven’t been a regular user of Henry Cavendish, but the few times I have used it, it seems to dissipate quicker than most of my other soaps and creams. Not a big deal because I am pretty efficient and quick at shaving. But those of you that take a long time to shave, you might want to reapply some during your shave to make sure you stay fully covered.
Fresh “Himalayan” Scent Is Very Faint
Henry Cavendish markets their shave soap as a “Himalayan Perfume Oil” scent. Whatever that means. Their marketing says that it is a combination of some natural blend of essential oil fragrances; Indian cedar, Himalayan blue pine and cashmere musk.
Honestly, my takeaway though is that it is a very faint scent. Yes, it smells like some of the essential oils my wife uses in her diffuser, but I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it smells like.
I think it’s a good option for men with sensitive skin since it’s such a mild fragrance. It doesn’t have a bunch of extra ingredients packed in it for an overpowering smell that will irritate your skin.
Who Do We Recommend
Henry Cavendish Shave Soap For?
Henry Cavendish makes a really solid shaving soap. It’s made with high-quality ingredients and is a really slick lubricant when applied. Additionally, it has a very mild, refreshing scent.
All of this makes it a great option for men with sensitive skin or wet shavers that just want a mild lubricating soap that will protect the face during a shave without drying out your skin after a shave.
What Are Some Other
Shave Soaps & Creams To Consider?
Colonel Conk Bay Rum Shaving Soap
Colonel Conk’s bay rum shaving soap is one of my favorite shaving soaps. It is incredibly slick, lathers as well as any soap out there, and my favorite feature is the awesome unique scent. The bay rum scent is really great.
Colonel Conk is also a really affordable soap, it’s one of the cheapest on the market. So if you’re looking for a soap with a unique scent, this is one of the best.
RazoRock XXX Artisan Shaving Soap
RazoRock makes some really great artisan shaving soaps, and I think XXX is there most popular. And it’s easy to understand why...
It’s a soft soap so it’s incredibly easy to load and lather and you won’t have to spend any time prepping the puck before a shave. It is incredibly slick and protective. It is made with all-natural ingredients so it’s easy on skin and shouldn’t irritate or dry it out.
Plus, it’s great bang for your buck. The 5 ounces should last several months.
Proraso Shaving Cream
Not sure you want to buy and use a shaving soap? No problem, there’s also some great shaving creams out there you can upgrade to.
One of my favorite shaving creams to recommend to wet shavers is Proraso’s shaving cream. It’s available in different scents and the ingredients vary slightly to accommodate different needs.
Proraso makes a very slick shaving cream. This was the first shaving cream I bought when I switched to a safety razor and it really did an amazing job of protecting my face while learning how to use a safety razor. I think it does a really good job of softening the beard as well.
Overall, I highly recommend Proraso if you’re looking for a high-quality shaving cream made with good ingredients.
